I wish I had listened to the people in this forum...

A couple of years ago already, people in this group recommended that I start testing my own blood sugar. The NHS doctor told me not to do so, as they didn't want me to become obsessed with my numbers, etc. unnecessarily. I didn't do it, and in fact, I was pretty careless all around about my glucose control.

I realize it has been 5 years now since my diagnosis of pre-diabetes/diabetes (Type 2) and at 90 lbs overweight I haven't made progress. I had an allergy attack that scared me quite badly recently, a new low as I couldn't breathe, and that just pushed to run a full battery of tests.

This follows me getting 'resolved' to reverse Type 2 Diabetes in the summer, but also to 'see where my numbers were' if I went completely off Metformin, which I did for about 4 months. My numbers went from 5-ish to 7.

Two months ago, I saw another endocrine specialist, and he told me I needed to increase my metformin from 2x/500 mg/day to 2x/750 mg/day - as it was not enough to be on the minimum amount. I read about this, and it seems about right. Secondly, I refused to do a statin, as I felt I was getting leg cramps from it. Since coming off, the leg cramps have gone away. He said women who are not menopausal can come off the statin because it's proven still not to be effective for them. For men at that age point, yes, very effective. For women who are perimenopausal, no. So, he agreed to this. I refuse to be overmedicated!!!

I also suffer from rosacea and have been doing an antibiotic (Doxycycline) for at least 2 years now, on and off, or Lymecycline, or something. Alternating. I'm now coming off that, as a Scottish nurse friend said it's vile, while yet another foreign doctor has said, no, it's not. (I'm so confused, but coming off it to try and see if my body can stabilize).

Last summer, I started getting severe abdominal pain over the liver and basically had ultrasounds which revealed a fatty liver, and after being tested fully the Spire doctor in the UK ruled out anything serious but Irritable Bowel Syndrome - or the precursor to it. A little DulcoEase prescribed, and mostly I've not done much but watch that I don't eat raw veggies too much on their own. This problem comes and goes.

All this to say, I'm trying to sort this out. It's been a reality check to realize that my numbers on the Fasting Glucose testing have been averaging 120-125 for the past three or four days. Now, this is while cutting calories. Eggs in the morning. Konjac (these are the noodles that are high fibre, low calories) noodles and a tin of tomatoes boiled down into a sauce for lunch. A yoghurt fruit salad combo - pure yoghurt and, yes, fruit in the afternoon at break, and I had quinoa pasta again yesterday with a ratatouille. The last night before this last result of 123, at about 10 PM, I had some chicken, steak and pasta salad and corn at a BBQ. My daytime meals were smallish.

I know I have read that people who go full on paleo seem to be turning around their numbers and losing weight. My question is, as I continue to battle with this bulge, and NEED to get it off (it's making me so uncomfortable and fed up): can you reverse Type II Diabetes after 5 years in?

If you can't do that, can you stabilize for life to the point of coming off Metformin?

And what of the heart risks? I have high cholesterol, too, right now...

Cholesterol Total: 239* (140-200)
HBA1C: 6.7* (4.5-6.4)
HDL: 47 (40-59)
LDL: 140* (0-100)
SGPT (ALT): 150* (9-52)
Triglycerides: 256* (35-150)
Glucose (RBS/Random
Blood Sugar): 229* (75-140)

White Blood Count: 11 (3.5-11)
Hemoglobin (HB, HGB): 15.8 (12-16)
Platelet Count: 368 (150-450)

Current Weight: 225 lbs
Height: 5'5"
Female
Age: 49

So, the other question is this: am I being stupid by coming off the statins, etc.?

Any thoughts before I continue to review this with doctors and continue to pursue dietary/exercise approaches to fixing this?

I have lost 8 lbs in a week, and now things will slow down but I got a good start. My colleagues and I are starting a fitness challenge for the new year. Slow and steady. I bought a fitness band. Here we go.

I wish I had followed this group's advice, because I feel I have been set back 2-3 years in my progress by my own stupidity and this may be completely detrimental to reversing T2D.

Thank you for your kind thoughts.

MM

Thank you all for the encouragement to keep at it. I have been given a glucose testing kit and strips for 2 months, twice a day. I have noticed so far that my glucose levels are ALL OVER THE PLACE. But yesterday after having two sandwiches with bread in the daytime, lots of dried nuts and fruit (it was a bingey day) and then a plate of quinoa pasta at night and for bed frozen raspberries with a bit of cream...omg...my morning blood sugar was 136 or 7.5 this morning. So annoying!!!

I have been replacing pasta with thin konjac noodles, but frankly hate them. It just doesn't do the trick. So, if that is what triggered all this, then obviously the next step is to ramp up the paleo more.

I will continue to test and see where this goes. My levels go higher when I fast a lot in between meals, or don't eat much. 113-125 (6.27-6.94) in the mornings. More on the high end there.

What do people do for snacks, etc.? I was doing fruit and yoghurt. My body craves this fresh food, frankly. But then I see these numbers and just can't get my head around what to do.

MM

Brunneria said:

Hi @memememeiii

Please forgive me if I have muddled you up with someone else - but are you the same person with a similar name who has previously posted about trying very low carb diets, finding them really difficult to stick to, and rebounding?

If you are not, please ignore what I am about to say. But if you ARE that person (hello again, and welcome back ) and can I make a few suggestions? Please don't try and do what you did the last few times, because the odds are that you will repeat the cycle and end up rebounding again, with another bout of self-loathing and denial, and end up worse off again. Believe me, I am speaking with the voice of experience.

Instead, have a good think about what happened last time, and do it differently.

For instance:
What is it about your previous diets that went wrong? Too severe? Too boring? Too flavourless? Too restrictive? Too much hunger? Too high targets? Weight loss didn't match expectations? Social pressure? Food cravings?
- write down a list and have a think. Then put together a plan that won't press that trigger this time
(for me, very low calorie always leaves me hungry and craving carbs. yet very low carb eliminates both of those problems. so my diet becomes 10x easier to stick to)

Also, what was it that triggered the rebound?
Was it a social gathering with tempting food? Anger? not having a snack when you got really hungry one day? Boredom? Someone criticising you, your food choice, your body? Advice from a doc? A friend? Family?

If you can remember, and work it out, you stand a much better chance of not repeating these cycles.

Hope that helps!

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It was me, and I will have a think about all that. That's very useful advice. I'm motivated now and in a large staff fitness challenge - biggest loser type thing - and we're all supporting each other. I just don't know what to make of the carbs/protein/sugar thing anymore. But I'm feeling motivated to try again and figure this out and ... lose weight.

Useful feedback on the Dawn Phenomenon. I wonder if this is temporarily high for a reason or will improve with weight loss.

Phoenix55 said:

Personally I found that my fasting numbers improved as the weight came off.

I hope that your staff challenge is set for this time next year. The winner should be the person who not only loses the weight but more importantly keeps it off. A crash diet to lose weight for the summer may work in the short term. Personally I chose to be happy with a slow but steady weight loss. It meant that I was not hungry, my skin had time to adjust to the loss and the exercise so did not leave me with unsightly stretch marks or 'wobbly bits'. By keeping the weight off for a year it shows that the 'diet' and exercise have become a new way of life and so sustainable in the long term. That does not mean that I am not tempted when I am away from home or over Christmas but I am learning that it may be OK to slip very occasionally. In the UK it has also meant that I have found a summer and a winter diet with corresponding exercise, mostly walking - I do not do gyms or running. Walking is cheap, fills up the rest of the lunch hour when I might be tempted to a 'treat', can be done following an online leader or outside by myself.

I also learnt to look back only to learn, focus on the future and where you want to be, you will surprise yourself with what you can achieve.

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Yes, I had my skin go flabby the last time I lost fast. It's definitely a real concern. Thanks for this. I agree. We do run this annually, every Jan. It's my 4th time.

johnw26 said:

Stay off statins, research statins or join some of the facebook statin user groups. There are very strong food and pharmaceutical lobbies that are exploiting our health. My gp who put me on the regular Simvastatin dose told me they were "perfectly safe" when I complained that I struggled to walk 4 miles and climb stairs whereas previously a 12 mile hike was my norm. Spotted I was limping and long series of test with consultant saying I would need a knee replacement as the pain increased. I was on 8 Tramadol (opiod) a day when I quit statins and had a quick recovery That was 6 years ago. I can now walk 12 miles again, I changed surgery and finally got a decent gp who found I was prediabetic. I have lost a stone with a minimum dose of Metformin and following Jason Fung's fasting advice and the advice on reducing inflamation in Giulia Enders book Gut

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This is good advice. I am really curious about the scientific research about women and statins. Any idea what's out there? I felt the same way on Simvastatin. - rubbish. Terrible. I was getting leg cramps in the night and that was IT. I will definitely get more focused on this and look at your suggestions.